Revision as of 23:10, 24 November 2012

Contents

Get in

Fly into Cancun and rent a car for the drive to Akumal. There are also buses and shuttles with some hotels or dive shops offering free shuttles. Akumal is approximately a 1 hour drive from Cancun.

Get around

Unless you plan on just staying in Akumal, you will need a rental car to get around. The closest sights are at least a 20 minute drive. However, if you're not comfortable driving in a foreign country, there are plenty of taxis to take you wherever you need to go.

There are also colectivos, a local 15-passenger van service that runs between Playa del Carmen and Tulum. They're cheap (20 pesos per person), and usually full, but run very frequently. You can catch the colectivos off the main highway. If you are standing on the side of the highway the driver will flash his lights at you if he has room in his van. This is the preferred local way of getting around.

See

Statue in town

Akumal has a beautiful bay with a wide white sand beach, wonderfully warm blue-green water and great snorkeling. Cute little town with several restaurants.

Do

Snorkeling

With the destruction of hurricane Wilma, the reefs near Akumal were damaged. However, a snorkeling trip is still very worth the time and expense.
There are three options for snorkeling:

Go on a tour provided by one of the two dive shops in town. It is $40 USD per person.

Go on an "unofficial" tour. If you stand on the beach with a clueless look on your face, a local may approach you and offer to take you snorkeling on his glass-bottomed boat. It is usually $20 USD per person and includes snorkeling equipment. The guide will attempt to find the famous sea turtles for you and show you different corals and fish. Make sure you are comfortable swimming with flippers as the guide may swim quickly from site to site.

Rent or buy your own equipment and swim out alone. The coral reefs are not too far from the shore and can be easily accessed by swimming, especially with the help of a life preserver. Much of the bay is not more than five feet deep. Be very careful to stay away from the "fire reef" marked with buoys and a distinctive red colored coral. It stings and excessive contact can be fatal.

Since coral dies on human contact, you should avoid touching coral at all costs. It is also illegal to touch the wildlife, such as the sea turtles, so please do not try to ride them or bother them in any way.
As of January 2006, there were five juvenile green sea turtles living in the bay.

Other

Ecological Center. Visit the Ecological Center at the end of Akumal bay to learn more about the area's ecosystems, species and local environmental events.

Buy

A few small shops in town. No real shopping to speak of.

Eat

Lol Ha Restaurant. Right on the beach in Akumal Bay -- great view!

Cueva del Pescador.

Turtle Bay Cafe.

Cocina Economico.

Lucy's Tacos. Across the street from Super Chomak by the area where the market is held

There are also other restaurants in North Akumal (near Half Moon Bay):

La Buena Vida. A restaurant and bar with swings instead of bar stools

In nearby Chemuyil:

Leo's Pizza

Loncheria.

Drink

Most restaurants serve beer. Lol Ha and La Buena Vida have a full bar.

Sleep

'''Akumal Direct Reservations www.i-akumal.com''', Half Moon Bay, Akumal (Highway 307 90 minutes south of Cancun), ☎01-877-489-6600, [2]. checkin: 15:00; checkout: 11:00. What ever your budget or requirements, Akumal Direct Reservations can help you find your perfect vacation accomodation. We have a really wide range of properties in the Akumal area to offer you, ranging from hotel rooms or casitas, to condos, to luxury villas. We live here in Akumal and we know there area. Give us a call!

Club Akumal Caribe, Km. 104 Carretera Pto.Juarez-Tulum, Akumal, Mexico, ☎52 (984) 875 90 12, [5]. Experience Akumal Bay's crystal clear turquoise waters and bright clear sand that never burns your feet in Club Akumal Caribe. Discover the charm of Club Akumal Caribe. They provide personalized service and the best service in the Riviera Maya. Come, discover and exceedsyour expectations with Club Akumal Caribe. They are always ready to welcome you on your next vacation.

Unahkin#3, Aventuras Akumal (2.7 miles south from Akumal Bay), ☎529841080320, [6]. Four condo building placed just in front of one of the most beautiful beaches in Akumal's area. This white sandy beach is also one of the most visited by the turtles in the nesting season, between May and September.US$90.